Attack on Titan: Broken Promises (Levi X OC)
by GraceMckinley
Summary: Nearly ten years have gone by since they last spoke and the differences it brought with them are high, but can Claire strike her way through the stoic man's heart once again? Can she tell him the secret that will change his life? And most of all, can she keep from breaking her promises to the man she loves? Takes place in 845 before the fall of Shinganshina. LeviXOC Slight Fluff.
1. Chapter 1

Year 845

Claire bubbled with excitement as the carriage rocked back and forth on its way to the Souting Regiment's headquarters. She was on her way to visit her best friend. It had been nearly ten years since she last saw him, and the idea of seeing him again made her stomach churn. "Would he still want to see her? Would he be mad of her coming here? Why had he hidden from her?" these were the thoughts that raced though her mind. He had simply up and left one day and she hadn't heard from him since.

Claire felt her heart skip a beat as the carriage came to a stop. Reaching over and pulling back the curtain just enough for her to be able to peer out, she took a deep breath, hoping to calm her nerves. The door to her right opened and she found herself being escorted out by a hand waiting for her on the other side.

"Miss Claire, you look astounding" Barrett told her, glancing at her stunning dress.

The pearly dress went to the floor with a Victorian blouse, that fit snugly to her short, petite figure, and lace ruffles that lined the edges. It's ivory color went nicely with her long ash brown hair that hung in loose curls at her shoulders. Her feet were covered by off-white flats and around her neck lay a copper with the letter L written in caligraphy.

"Barrett, you flatter me" she replied, taking his hand and stepping out of the carriage.

"No ma'am. I only say what is true" he stated, letting go of her hand as she strode down and closed the small door.

"Well, then thank you" she replied sincerely, lifting the corner of her dress to allow her to walk more freely.

Barrett followed closely behind her as she strode towards the large castle.

Three weeks ago she had received a note, telling her that the man she had been looking for, had been found. Ever since he had left without warning, she had been yearning for him. Nearly ten years had gone by and she had been certain he would either never be found or he had died by the hands of a Titan. But hope came in the form of a note! The note had spoken of a man who went by the name Levi Rivaille and was captain of his own squad in the Scout Regiment. Although the note had said that the possibility of it really being him was slim, she was filled with the hope of any naive girl.

"Come on, Barrett!" she shouted to the tall man as she promptly took off running. At Barrett's old age, he found it irresponsible to run along with her and therefore stayed back walking a steady pace. She was much younger than him, nearly half his age as she had recently turned twenty-eight. Although she always complained that she was aging too quickly, she was very spirited and had the heart and mind of a young girl.

As Claire approached the large establishment, a man stepped out the door, greeting her there.

"Ah, you must be Claire Durant. I received your letter" he stated. He was tall. At least a foot taller than the tiny girl who had only reached 150 centimeters. His blonde hair was neat and in the form of an undercut. His eyebrows, however, were the things that caught her attention. They were large and hid so much. It was like all of the struggles he'd been through had been kept secret by them. Like they couldn't show emotion.

"Y-yes, I am" she replied hesitantly.

"I am Commander Erwin Smith, but you may call me Erwin. If I'm correct, you're here to see Corporal Levi, am I right?"

"Yes, sir. I would very much like to see him" she replied, her hands folding together in front of her as her smiled brightened.

"As you wish, follow me" he said, stepping aside and allowing her to pass.

"Wait out here, Barrett, I shan't be long!" she called out to the elder, watching as he nodded and took a seat on a bench by a garden. She smiled lightly before turning around and following Erwin through the dark halls.

"If I may ask, how do you know the Corporal?" Erwin asked, trying to start conversation.

"I'm still not sure it's him, even if it is, that doesn't mean he'll remember me. It's been nearly ten years since we last spoke in person and I'm sure much has happened since we lost contact, however, that doesn't answer your question, now does it?" she replied with a small giggle, "To state it bluntly, he's an old friend, one I intend to get in touch with once again"

"I see" he replied, posture maintaining, "Although, Miss Durant, I must warn you that Levi has never been the most - what's the word - sentimental to people, strangers especially"

Claire giggled lightly, "He never was. I remember when we were young his favorite name to call me was kid or brat. He'd only call me by my name if I was in danger or if he was mad or surprised. It's so funny. He'd undermined me, yet he was barely older than me. Two or three years at most"

"Two or three years? But Levi is in nearly thirty, there's no way a small, petite, youthful girl like you could be already in your late twenties"

"It's true, though. I know I look young and usually I tend to act young for my age. My mother used to pester me for holding on to such fairy tales of meeting a prince charming or finding true love. 'It's not appropriate for a girl like you to be unmarried' she'd say when I told her I wouldn't marry simply anyone"

"So you're eligible, yet you refuse to marry" he said in an understanding tone, "It makes sense, I wouldn't marry simply anyone either"

Claire laughed lightly, "Thank you for understanding, Commander"

"You said you were from Sina, if I'm correct? How did you originally meet Levi?"

"Oh, I was an orphan, you see. Surprisingly enough, he was the one to approach me. It was right after I got there, I had been rather depressed and he decided to try to cheer me up. His efforts gave me knew purpose and him a new friend"

"I see"

"May I ask, how much farther?"

"Only a little" he replied, "There is one thing I should tell you, though"

"Oh?"

"I haven't yet told him that you're coming" he said, glancing over at her, "He probably would've disapproved in me allowing you to come here"

"I understand" she replied with a nod, stopping along Erwin as they stood in front of a tall door, "Thank you, Erwin, you are very kind" she expressed before pulling lightly on his shoulder, standing on the tip of her toes and placing a small kiss on his cheek.

Erwin nodded before opening the door and allowing her in. It was obvious that this was a meal hall. Wooden chairs and tables scattered around the room, most of them occupied by a body who sat eating. Claire took one final breath for confidence before walking in and scanning her eyes across the room. Some noticed her, turning their focus towards the eligant girl. This became a pattern, one noticing another peering then turning their own eyes to look at her. It was obvious she didn't belong here.

A loud screech from one corner of the room caused Claire to look that way. A chair had been abruptly pushed away from the table. There stood a short, yet still taller than her, man. His black undercut hair covered his gray eyes and his pale hands were laying across the table. They were tense and strained as if trying their hardest not to suffocate something. The man, hidden by his hair, seemed distressed as his dark, hallow eyes slowly scanned back up to confirm or deny what he thought he had seen.

"Claire..." was the quite word that came from his mouth, his eyes soft and confused, yet hurt and angry.

"Levi!" she shouted before racing over to him, embracing him in a hug, "I've missed you so much!"

He looked so similar to how she had last seen him. The differece was that he wore different clothes, seemed to have a more mature look, and his eyes had deep dark circles under them as if he hadn't slept sinse she last saw him ten years ago.

"Quiet down and stop yelling, Brat" he replied coldly, his usual look back on his face, "Why are you here? You better not have joined the scouts" he said, grabbing her shoulders and forcing her back slightly.

"Levi? Aren't you happy to see me?" she asked, looking up at him, her eyes glistening with unseen tears.

"I-" he stopped, looking away and at the people surrounding them, "As you were" he shouts before letting go of Claire's arms and grabbing her hand. Levi began walking, pulling her behind him.

"Where are we going?" she asked desperately, following closely behind as they passed other soldiers and representatives.

"Shut up and come on" he replied harshly as they walked though the halls.

Claire stared at the back of his head as they walked. He was just like before. The tears that had brimmed in her eyes began to fall. She was so happy!

Levi took her around the corner and pulled her into an room that looked like an office. He let go of her after the door was closed and slowly walked to the desk. He turned around and looked at her once he reached it. She was sniffling, her hands up to her face trying to hide the tears.

"Why are you crying?" he asked, voice stone hard and filled with boredom.

"I'm just - so happy to have - found you" she said through sobs, "It's been so long" she uttered, finally looking up at him.

Levi sighed, he was obviously annoyed, "How did you get here? You had better not have joined the Survey Corps"

She shook her head, "No, I didn't"

"Then how?"

"I received a note three weeks ago telling me where you were" she said, beginning to walk closer to him, "Then I contacted Mr. Smith and he allowed me to come visit, saying I was lucky because it didn't happen often. Then I got in my carrige and came here to see you. Of course, I didn't come alone. I've brought Barrett with me -although, you may not know him - he's my butler, very loyal and kind and such a hard worker. He's been with me since I moved out of my parents house. Oh, Levi! We have so much to catch up on! I can't wait-"

"Wait, back up, who sent the note?" he questioned, one hand raised to his forehead in irritation.

"I'm not sure, a Mike Zacharius, I believe"

Levi scoffed. Of course Mike would be willing to send his identity to anyone who claimed to know him, "How'd he find you?"

"I put an add in the paper, you see. 'Looking for Levi. Male, black hair, gray eyes, late-twenties, approximately five foot three, adolescent looking' it had said" she said, her eyes glancing upwards as if the paper were actually there.

"Claire, there's a reason I disappeared. There's a reason I didn't want you to follow me" Levi said, his hand lowering from his head as he sat down in his desk chair.

"But," she paused, completely changing her words to form a new question, "Levi, do you ever think of how I feel? I thought you were dead. I thought I would never get to see you again. Why? Why did you leave me? You knew I wanted to be with you. You knew I hated it there. Why would you leave me? I am beyond confused"

"I left to protect you"

"Really? Because it seems that right after you left is when my troubles began" she replied harshly, staring at him intently. She looked down after a moment.

"Levi, do you remember your promise? I still do. I knew you fancied me, despite your attempts to hide it. It was obvious. You were obvious"

"Quit putting words in my mouth. I've never once fancied you-"

"Liar!" she shouted, looking up at him, the tears streaming down her face made sparkling lines that looked like silver.

"How would you know? It's not like you can read my mind" he replied, hand once again returning to his forehead.

"I don't have to read your mind to know" she said, quieting down from her rampage, "After you disappeared the first time, I went to your house. I found the note" she said, remembering the crinkled note she had found in between his bed and night stand. She remembered how happy made her feel, yet sad at the same time.

He sighed, nodding slightly before turning his attention to the paper work that sat on his desk.

**A/N**

**Hiya! Thank you so much for reading! If you liked it, make sure you click the like button, comment and give your opinion, and follow it for future chapters. **

**QOTD:**

**What's your favorite AOT/SNK character?**

**My Answer:**

**That's a toughy. I like Eren, Mikasa, and Armin a lot, although they're the main characters and it's hard not to like them. I'd say if I could only pick one it would have to be Levi, though. Most people see him as stoic and mean, but I'll try to show what I believe is his softer, sweeter side with in the next chapters.**

**Your Answer?**


	2. Chapter 2

***Author Note***

**Hey guys! I want to thank you so much for coming back for more! It means a ton!**

**Starting now there will be flash backs. I just wanted to give you a heads up that when one starts/ends it will have ~~~~~~~~~~ and it will also be italicized. At the top of it it will give you information such as how many years before 845, what year precisely, and how old Claire is. I would've added Levi's age, but no one knows his true age, and I wanted to respect that and keep it unknown. However, just like in the previous chapter, it states that Claire is only two to three years younger. That's an estimate.**

**Thanks for your attention! Go ahead and read!**

_Fifteen years prior...Year 828...12 year old Claire_

_Claire pounded her small, delicate fist on the large wood door. The underground had always scared her, but she knew that if she was going to try to find him, this would be the place to look. Levi had told her of his roommates years back, but now, the small house seemed empty and unoccupied. How long had it been since someone was here last? _

_Claire sighed, accepting that no one was home, and she'd have to find another way in. The first window checked was open, allowing her to crawl inside the house. It was small and shabby to put it blunt, but quite homey and very tidy if you thought about it. She had only been there twice before and each time struck her with the fears and wonders of the dark underground. _

_She immediately started her search, looking for anything that would give her a clue as to where he had gone. Nothing. It was clear that a bag had been packed, but they hadn't even bothered to lock all the doors. Where had he gone? _

_Claire searched as long as she could, looking through old boxes and cupboards, cabinets and under beds before finally coming across a crumpled paper. It had been tossed carelessly between the bed and night stand after being crushed into a ball. Claire carefully unfolded the paper, as if the one wrong move could destroy it completely, before reading the words line to line. _

_"Claire, _

_I know I'm not good with words and I know I tend to put up a cold demeanor, but I like you. Every time I see you I feel the urge to protect you. But I know I can't. The only way to keep you safe is to distance myself from you. I'm not good. I never have been. There are people in my life that would hurt you if they knew about you. I don't want to see you hurt. I couldn't live with myself. I don't know how, but one day, I wanna move to the interior with you. We can be a real family and live real lives. I'm going to do my best to give you that life. I promise. But until then, I'm gonna have to stay away. I'm sorry. It's for the best. _

_I love you...Levi"_

_Several parts had been scribbled out and large X's covered the page. It was obvious he had mixed feelings about giving it to her. _

_Claire stuffed the paper in her pocket before continuing her search. As she opened up one of the drawers in the main room, a long, quiet screech sounded out behind her. She turned her head to see who it was and saw none other than Levi himself. He had been looking behind him with a bag slung over his shoulder. He was covered in an inch of dust, which he would most likely clean off immediately, and had several scratches and cuts that ran along his dirt covered skin. As he turned back forward to walk inside, he saw her, sitting on the ground inside the small home._

_"Claire?" he asked, stopping in his tracks, "Why are you here?" he finally finished before walking closer to her and dropping his bag on the floor. _

_"I came to look for you" she explained, tears welling up in her eyes as she stood to her feet, "Four weeks" she began, "four whole weeks I didn't see you once. I was so worried about you" she finished before running to him and hugging him. "I was so worried" she stated again, the tears beginning to fall down her cheeks. _

_"Brat! Don't hug me! I'm covered in filth, you'll get yourself dirty too!" he shouted trying to pull her off. _

_She eventually let go, falling to her knees as she sobbed in her hands. _

_"Kid, don't cry. I'm sorry. It took longer than I had expected, I thought I would've been home a week ago"_

_"Three weeks is still a long time to not hear from someone"_

_"Better than four, right?"_

_She froze, thinking about it a moment before nodding her head slowly, her hands sliding down to the ground. Levi squatted down next to her and ruffled her long brunette hair, giving her a small, barely noticeable, smile. She looked up at him, wiping her tears with her palms before giving him a large, cheeky grin._

_"Come on, I'll take you home" he said before helping her stand to her feet._

_Levi walked her all the way up to the surface and back to the orphanage before bidding her adieu and walking back to his own home. _

"I hope this room satisfies you" the tall woman, whom she had learned was named Hanji, told her with a faint smile.

"Oh, no! It's perfect, I really do like it! Thank you so much for all you have done for me. I very much appreciate it" she uttered, bowing slightly to show her sincerity.

"Okay, I'll come and get you before dinner, you can put your stuff away or wander or whatever you want to do" she said, giving her a wink before leaving.

Claire nodded as she watched the door close before walking over to her bags. She began to skillfully fold all of her under garments, putting those into a drawer, and hanging all of her dresses, putting them in the closet. Her shoes stacked neatly at the bottom of the closet and the accessories her mother had begged her to take were laid orderly on top of the dresser.

A small knock on the door pulled her out of her unpacking. She quickly paced to the door, opening it to see who was there. Levi stood, back to her, just outside the doorway.

"Levi?" she asked, getting excited again.

He turned around to see her bubbly face, "Hey"

"And why do I receive the pleasure of having you visit me?" she asked, opening the door more and allowing him inside.

"I came to talk to you, but if you're busy, I can come back later"

"No, no! Come in, stay awhile. I did come here to see you after all" she replied, lifting her hands, palms out, to tell him stop, wait, come back.

Levi nodded before finally taking the offer, that had been sent by the open door, and walked inside the room.

"What did you wish to speak about?"

"Brat, why did you keep looking for me after all these years?"

"I honestly don't know" she replied after a moments hesitation, taking a seat on the bed and staring down at her hands that lay peacefully in her lap, "For the first few years, I did stop. I had given up on ever finding you. I suppose it was at my twenty-fifth birthday when my mother began to scold me for not being married yet, that I decided I wanted to find you. She had always liked you, you know, despite knowing what you did. At one point after you had left, she told me that she wished she had invited you to stay with us. Maybe then you wouldn't have departed"

"I still would have. Even now, as you're here, you're in danger. You should leave, I-"

"No!" she said quickly interrupting his sentence, "I won't leave, not until I'm sure I'm not going to loose you again" she said, looking up at him, the sorrow she had over the past years, showing blatantly on her face.

"Kid, I'm sorry. I wish I had treated this life better, then maybe I could stay with you, but I can't. There's too much that lurks in the past, it threatens to return every second I spend alive"

"If this is your attempt at a suicide note, you've got much to learn" she teased, standing up and walking over to him.

"Tch, please, if I killed myself, I know at least five people who would personally go to the after life to kill me a second time" He replied sarcastically with a faint smile playing across his lips as his arms went up to fold across his chest.

"Am I one of those people?" she asked with a curious eye.

"Well, not to kill me, but I'm sure you'd scold me" he replied, dropping his arms. He remembered their childhood days when she would act like a mother to him. That was before their teen years and things got deeper.

"I'm glad to know that you don't think I'd kill you" she replied honestly with a small sigh relief.

No noise came from the elder, other than a small grunt which told her he found her amusing. After a moment, Claire stood up, moving closer until she was right in front of him. He didn't back away which meant he didn't mind her presence.

"Levi, kiss me" were the quiet words that slipped through her lips.

Levi hesitated a moment before bringing his lips down gently on hers. His hands moved to her waist and laid gently on her hips; her hands went different directions, one going to his face to feel the small stubble the had built up, the other to his chest to feel his toned muscle.

The passionate kiss ended when Levi pulled back. "I'm sorry" were his words before he pulled back completely.

"What is it? What is wrong?" she asked, following him as he backed up, desperate for his touch once again.

"Kid, I told you before. Multiple times. I'm not good. I can't be around you. I'm sorry" he replied before pushing her away entirely and leaving the room.

_Twelve years prior...Year 834...Sixteen year old Claire_

_"We have to stop" Levi grunted, trying to fight the urges that raced within him. He knew that if things went to far, they'd both regret it. _

_"I know" Claire replied through breaths before crashing her lips back onto his. They tasted wonderful to her. They both sat on the couch in the sitting area inside her bedroom. It was late and the sun had already set making it dark for the candles had been burnt out. Claire lay atop of Levi, her legs straddling his waist as they kissed passionately in the moon light._

_"Claire" Levi whined, his hands moving on their own and under her shirt to feel along her back. _

_"Levi" Claire responded, pressing her body close to his and letting out another ragged breath._

_It seemed like all of Levi's visits recently had been some form of this, and while they both still remained virgin, they didn't know how much longer it would last. Each time he came, they'd feel more drawn to each other than before. They were older now, in their own minds, old enough for simple things as this. Claire was approaching her seventeenth birthday. Only another month and she'd be able to call herself under a new judging number. _

_Levi finally caught hold of his senses, using his hands to push her away. She gave in, falling away from his face and onto his chest. She could feel his strong muscles through his shirt and his heart beat as it tried to lower to a steady pace. This made her want to run her hands along his toned chest, but knowing that would only start them up again, decided against it. She had been swept off her feet by the usually stoic boy who seemed only to lighten up when she was around. _

_"You know, if this keeps up, I don't know if I'll be a married virgin" Claire stated. She had become quite rebellious in her late teen years, and it showed in everything she said and did. _

_"I'd hope not, you should not give in to simply whatever, merely because you're in the heat of the moment" Levi told her, "Besides, you're still illegal" he teased, poking her nose when his index finger and thumb._

_She stuck her tongue out at him. She knew she was underage and if someone found out the two had made love, that Levi would be arrested. In Sina the expectations were higher, and the tolls for crime were lofty. _

_"Levi, you should marry me, then we wouldn't have to worry about silly rules" Claire stated in a joking tone, however, she really meant it. If she were to marry Levi, he would get a Sina citizenship and she would get to be with him the rest of her life. _

_"Nice one, but unfortunately, I'm taken" he replied, pushing her to the side, standing up and grabbing his shoes on._

_"By whom?" she asked folding her arms over her chest with a huff. _

_"My work"_

_"Your work is dull and pointless" she stated bitterly._

_"My work is what gets me money so I can pay the lofty bill to come up here as often as I do"_

_Claire sighed. She knew his work was the only thing that allowed her to see him as often as she did. The fare to ascend the stairs had risen last week. It was despicable to see how much the fat pigs in Sina could take advantage of the poor folks below. Most never see the surface before they die, yet somehow, Levi was able to see her nearly every other week. _

_"It will probably be another five weeks until I'm back again" Levi stated calmly._

_"What? Why?" Claire whined, eyes widening in sorrow, crawling over to him and leaned on his back. _

_"Because the toll was raised and I still have to eat"_

_"You could eat here"_

_"Yeah, but I can't stay here. You know the longest people from down there are allowed to stay up is only a week. I'd have to go back eventually, and when I do, work will have piled high and Farlan and Isabel will have already had a funeral" Levi explained. _

_"What if I went down with you?"_

_"No" he answered bluntly before standing and grabbing his bag. _

_"Why not, Levi" Claire whined again, wishing he'd come back and stay a while._

_"I'm not gonna tell you again, Claire, stay away from the underground. It's not safe. I'm not safe. If it were anyone else, it'd be one thing, but there are people down there who would kill you because of me. We will not have contact other than above ground, or I'll cut it off completely, understand?" Levi said strictly, giving her a serious glare._

_Claire nodded her head, disappointingly. She disliked when Levi got mad at her, but she also disliked being confined to the walls of her home. The place she once saw as a castle was now a dungeon, the dragon that locked her there being her parents._

_Levi threw his bag over his shoulder before walking over to Claire and ruffling her hair. _

_"Don't worry, Kid, one day I'll have enough money to buy a citizenship. Then I'll never leave your side" he said before leaving her by herself to head back to his own home._

**A/N**

**How'd I do? Let me know by voting for this chapter or commenting!**

**QOTD:**

**If you lived in the AOT/SNK world, which regiment would you join? The Military Police, the Garrison, or the Scouts (or Survey/Recon Corps if you prefer)?**

**My Answer?**

**I'd probably join either the Scouts or the Garrison. I'd want to help humanity, but I'm also a huge wimp when it comes to scary thing and pain. :P Oh well! Sue me!**

**Your Answer? Reply in the comments!**

**Thanks again for reading! You guys are absolutely amazing!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Konnichi wa mina-san! Thank you so much for coming back yet again! It makes me so happy to know you enjoy the story! Well, what are you waiting for? Get to reading already!**

**Oh yes! I forgot to say, in my story, Hanji is female. I know technically he/she doesn't have a written gender, but oh well! I like it this way.**

**(Word Bank: Heichou=Captain)**

Claire didn't leave her room after what happened with Levi. She didn't feel it necessary. Hanji came for her later that evening, before escorting her to the mess hall.

"There are quite a few rumors going around" Hanji stated as they walked, her arms crossed and behind her head making her elbows stick out above her like antlers or horns.

"I'd be more surprised if there weren't" Claire replied, looking over at the red head, "If you don't mind me asking, what kind of rumors?"

Hanji sighed almost as if it jogged her memory, "One was that you two are siblings, although I don't know how that one got started. You two look nothing alike. Another is that you were married before Levi-heichou joined the Scouts. I think the funniest one is where you're his daughter"

Claire couldn't help but giggle at the bizarre things people could make up, "Those sure are something. Do you believe them?"

"I'm not sure. I don't think the two of you are just friends. You guys seem closer than that, however I don't think you guys are related either. You and Levi look and act nothing alike. The one I'm leaning closest to is the married before he joined the Corps" she replied honestly.

"We weren't married, he never courted me, nor I, him. I'm not sure what we were when he left. It certainly wasn't just friends, but we hadn't yet reached an actual relationship" she explained.

"I see" she replied, "I know it's not my place, but did you love him?" she asked, glancing over at her with a curious look.

"I do. He was and still is my best friend. I remember when we were younger, he'd come to my house and we'd sit in the garden, it was magnificent, spending that time with him"

The two came to a stop as they reached the room. Hanji opened the door and allowed Claire to walk through. Claire walked into the room, spotting Levi with several other Scouts and walking over to him. She smiled before taking a seat beside him.

"Good evening" she greeted to those at the table. She recognized a few of them as Erwin Smith, Mike Zacharius, and lastly Hanji Zoe who sat down across from her.

"Good evening" a few replied.

After a few minutes, one of the younger, newer scouts had kindly brought her a tray of food to eat. She thanked him before beginning to eat her soup.

"What are you doing, Brat?" Levi asked coldly after a few minutes. By the sound in his voice, most would think he was aggravated and annoyed, but Claire knew him better than that, knowing he meant it as a, I don't want to talk right now.

"Levi-heichou, she came all the way to see you here, you should at least be a little nicer" Hanji scolded to which Levi scoffed.

"Tch. I didn't ask her to come. And last I checked, you weren't in charge of telling me what to do"

"Levi, don't get mad at her for defending me" Claire said calmly, "After all, if anything, I should be defending myself" she cleared her voice, "Levi, don't call me Brat. You are no longer allowed to undermined me. I'm not that much younger than you"

"What?!" Hanji exclaimed, interrupting her scolding, "You're almost as old as this oldie?"

"How old did he tell you he was?" Claire asked, looking over at him.

"He hasn't, we just assumed that he must be at least fifty with how dull he is. I mean, his favorite thing is dusting"

"Well actually you're wrong twice. I don't believe he's even reached the age of thirty yet, and his favorite thing is window wiping, not dusting" Claire corrected. She remembered how he said he liked when they became clear enough to see his reflection. That reminded him that he was still, in fact, human. Out of the seven people that sat at the table, four were staring at her intently. Two were off in their own conversation and one was herself. Even Levi had turned to give her a questioning glance.

"What?" she asked after a moment.

"I can't believe you remembered that" Levi stated before turning back to his cup.

"What, that you're barely older than me or that you enjoy washing windows?"

"Both" he replied with a scoff.

"Am I not allowed to remember things? The night you told me was the same night we-" she couldn't complete her sentence, Levi had slapped his hand over her mouth, keeping her from speaking. When she looked over at him, she saw the demonic glare directed at her as well as the faintest of blushes rising on his cheeks. Others may not have noticed it in the dim light, but she could.

He removed his hand after a minute and returned to his drink.

"As I was saying" she teased him further, "That night was very mem-"

Again his hand covered her mouth, "One more word and I'll personally gag you for the rest of your stay. Got it?" he seemed serious. Claire always disliked that side of him.

She nodded her head and dropped her gaze as he dropped his hand. The three Scouts that sat at the table with them were staring intently. Did she really just imply that?! By Levi's reaction they could tell it was true. It was hard to keep a straight face at that, but with Claire at risk of being harmed, they said nothing about it.

"Claire, what's it like? Living in Sina, I mean" Mike asked after a while of awkward silence.

Immediately Claire was brought out of her insecure, sorrowful state and into her usual bubbly, bright self.

"It's extravagant! Everyone there lives in fancy homes and wears fancy clothing and speaks in a fancy way. I noticed I had picked it up after only being there for a few short days" she said with a giggle, remembering how Levi had noticed it as well.

"Wait, few short days? Are you not originally from there?" Hanji budded in

"Oh, no" Claire replied, waving a hand in dismissal of the idea, "I was an orphan, you see. My Ma-ma and Papa adopted me shortly after I turned thirteen. Oh, I still remember the day I got there. The house was a hundred times more extravagant than the orphanage outside Shinganshina"

"Wow! So a citizen of wall Rose at heart, yet a resident of Sina! That would be an amazing experience" Hanji shouted in a loud voice.

"Shut up, you're making my ears hurt" Levi scolded Hanji who immediately settled down.

"Yes, it was a fine experience" Claire responded, ignoring Levi. She giggled before continuing, "Levi's reaction to me telling him is one I'll never forget, though"

Levi sighed, standing up, "While you listen to pointless stories of the past, I think I'll go to bed" he announced before leaving.

Claire's smile dimmed as she watched the man she loved disappear behind another door.

**A/N**

**Okay, okay. I know this one is nearly half of my usual chapter, but it's only because the next chapter makes up for it. Trust me, you'll see.**

**Anyway, what'd you think? How'd I do? Tell me in the comments or give me a silent message by hitting the like button! :D**

**QOTD:**

**Do you prefer anime or manga? Why?**

**My answer:**

**I prefer anime. I mean, sure, I like manga just as much, but the anime gives me a better view of what's happening and what's going on around them, if you know what I mean. ;) That plus I can get into it better.**

**Your answer? Leave it in the comments!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello everyone! Thank you for coming back for more, it means so much to me! Now what am I doing, keeping you from the story? Get to reading!**

_Fifteen years prior...Year 829...Thirteen year old Claire_

_Claire and Levi walked down the streets inside of Wall Maria just outside of the Shinganshina district. Levi had picked her up two hours prior and they had been walking around since. _

_"Levi, when I get older, can I live with you in the underground?" Claire asked as they walked past a group of children playing in the sand._

_"No" he stated bluntly._

_"What? Why not?"_

_"Because you're going to get adopted, and it's not fair if your parents always have to worry about you getting hurt"_

_Claire giggled, she knew that was his way of saying he didn't want her to get hurt. _

_"Levi, I'm thirteen years old. I'm not going to be adopted any time soon. If at all"_

_"Your sister was adopted and she was just barely younger than you now"_

_"So, she is a lot prettier than I am. She has darker eyes and her hair a lot shorter, where as, I'm stuck with this long ugly brown hair"_

_"Don't say that. I happen to like your long hair, I mean, I know my opinion probably doesn't matter much, but it's pretty" Levi stated slightly awkwardly, grabbing a lock of her hair and twirling it in his fingers._

_Claire looked down, trying her best to hide the blush that crept up on her cheeks._

_"Thank you" _

_"What for?"_

_"For knowing what to say and how to make me feel better" Claire replied, looking back up at him, the rosy color beginning to dim from her cheeks._

_"I was only stating the truth. Besides, I should probably get you back now. They'll be serving dinner soon"_

_"You should stay and eat with us" Claire suggested as he lead the way to walk back to the orphanage that was located right outside of Shiganshina, "I'm sure Mrs. Porter would love to see you again. It's been months since you last stayed for dinner" _

_"No, I'll only drop you off. I don't belong there"_

_"Why not?"_

_"Because unlike them, I'm a criminal"_

_"But you're an orphan, Levi"_

_"Kid, there's a difference between being pushed away and running away"_

_"O-oh...okay"_

_"Let's drop the subject. I don't want you to be sad"_

_Claire nodded lightly, a hand reaching up and drying the small tears._

_As they approached the tall building, Levi said goodbye and left Claire to walk in by herself. She walked in and was immediately greeted by Mrs. Porter. _

_"Claire! I have wonderful news!" she cried_

_"What is it?" Claire asked timidly._

_"You've been adopted!" _

_"B-but, I haven't met any couples in nearly two months"_

_"I know, they came by earlier looking for a specific person. They didn't need to meet you. I don't know how to say this completely. It will take a lot of explaining"_

_Claire nodded before following the elder woman into her office. They each took a seat and there Mrs. Porter continued to tell Claire how the Mrs. Durant had been declared infertile. James and Elizabeth decided they would adopt a child to be a successor, but that they must look similar to the couple to be able to pull off being their child. They didn't want to announce the child as adopted. And out of all of the one hundred-fifty children the couple looked at, Claire looked closest. _

_"They're from Stohess, Claire. They promise to be good parents"_

_"Am I a replacement?" Claire asked quietly, her head drooping down and her eyes staring sadly at the hands in her lap._

_"No, dear. They always wanted children. They'll love you as their own, but Claire," she hesitated, as if her words may upset the girl, "you may have to say goodbye to Levi" _

_This struck Claire's attention, causing her eyes to widen and her mouth to go slightly agape, "No. I can't!" she cried, looking up at the older woman._

_"Claire, these people are from the highest ranks. They own many businesses and have a high reputation to keep up with. If they find you unfit to be hanging around that boy, you will listen and say goodbye. You and I both know what he has gotten himself into and it's not likely they won't begin to look into him as well. If he's lucky, they won't mind the connections, but don't get your hopes up"_

_Claire nodded, her head dropping again as tears welled in her eyes._

_"They'll be here in two days. You have until then to pack your things and say good bye to your friends"_

_Later that evening she packed up her things, making sure she wouldn't forget anything. She planned to visit Levi the next morning before she left to tell him the news. The next morning was hectic. Mrs. Porter had a lot of filing to do which ended up delaying Claire's departure. She ended up leaving later in the evening after dinner. _

_Claire knocked quietly on the large wooded door. Her head hung glumly at the thought of saying goodbye, and this voided her from any other pestering thoughts of what was around her. Another moment passed before a blonde haired boy opened the door. _

_"Excuse me, you must be Farlan. I'm here to speak with Levi, if I may" Claire asked, looking up to the taller male._

_"Ah, that must make you Claire. Levi is out at the moment, but he should be back soon, come on in"_

_Claire nodded before walking in to the tiny home and taking a seat on the couch. Farlan closed the door behind her and walked over to the kitchenette to make some tea. Once finished, he offered her a cup to which she agreed and thanked him for. Claire sat sipping her tea for nearly thirty minutes before Levi finally walked through the door. As soon as he saw Claire sitting on the couch, he knew something was wrong._

_"Brat, how many times do I have to tell you not to come down here?" Levi asked in an annoyed tone. _

_"I'm sorry, Levi" she replied, setting her cup on the table and walking over to greet him, her eyes trained on the floor, "Actually, I came to say goodbye"_

_"That's an awful reason" he teased, although his voice sounded glum. He realized what had happened and hesitated before continuing, "Have you met them?"_

_"No, not yet, but they're coming for me in the morning" _

_"Are you sure this has to be goodbye?"_

_"They're from Sina. They're higher up and hold a high reputation" she said, looking up at him. She agreed with them. She knew what Levi did and how he earned his money. She knew it was the farthest thing from an honest living, but that didn't mean she wanted to say goodbye. He was her best friend, "Mrs. Porter doesn't know if they'll allow me to visit with you or not"_

_"Will you write me once you're settled? Let me know what happened and how it's going?" he asked, his usual cold voice now quiet and sentimental as he lifted her chin lightly to look into his eyes._

_"I-I'll try" she uttered with a pitiful smile. _

_Levi nodded then pulled her into a hug in which she returned, wrapping her arms around his torso "I'm gonna miss you, Kid" _

_"I'll miss you, too"_

_They stayed there for several minutes, for they were not sure if they would ever get to feel this warmth from the other ever again._

_"Come on, it's not safe here. I'll take you back" Levi said, pulling back from the embrace._

_Claire nodded, grabbing hold of his hand as they walked towards the stairs that lead to the surface. On the way back, they spoke little, only bringing up topics if necessary; but what took the place of the silence was the enjoyment of each others company. _

_"Goodbye, Kid" Levi proclaimed as she began her walk back up the stairs and into the orphanage. She turned and paused a moment before running back to him and hugging him. _

_"Goodbye, Levi" she uttered, tears forming in her eyes._

_"Now, go on"_

_Claire nodded before turning around and walking into the building. She waited until he started walking away before closing the door completely. Claire ascended the stairs that lead to her bedroom. She shared the room with three other girls, Naomi, Amanda, and Sophia. The other girls were already laying in bed asleep when she opened the door and walked in. Claire sat on her bed, holding the locket in her hand. It had always brought her comfort when she was sad or scared. _

_Claire sighed before laying back on her bed and covering herself with the thin blankets. Her bag was packed and sat right beside her bed and her fanciest outfit had been laid across the dresser for her to wear in the morning._

_She fell asleep that night, dreaming of how she wished life could be and how she knew it was not._

**A/N**

**Well? What do you think? Don't forget to vote for the chapter as well as comment on your opinion!**

**QOTD: **

**Which character do you think you are most like?**

**My Answer?**

**That's another toughy. I guess I could be like Armin for the fact that I'm a very curious person as well as I love to read, but I could be like Mikasa in the way her goal is to protect the people she loves. And I'm a little like Marco because I'm almost always smiling and positive (R.I.P. Marco Bott), then also like Bertold because I'm super shy around people I haven't met before. I guess there are relatable traits in almost all of the characters**

**Your answer? Reply in the comments!**


	5. Chapter 5

_"Claire, get up! Your parents are coming for you soon!" Claire heard Amanda call as her shoulders were shaken lightly. _

_"I'm up, I'm up" she replied, her hand reaching up to rub her sleepy eyes. _

_"There's a difference between being up and being awake. Awake is when you are conscious of your surroundings. Up is up, out of bed, on your feet"_

_"Okay, okay. You win. I'm not up, I'm only awake" Claire replied before sitting up and throwing her feet over the side of her bed. She couldn't help the nervous feeling she felt on the inside of her. _

_Claire stood up before putting on the dress that lay set out for her. The white fabric spread loosely over her torso and waist until it reached her knees. The loose fabric was then cinched up at her waist with the help of a white ribbon. She clasped her locket around her neck and slid her feet into her usual brown sandals that she had cleaned up last night before going to visit Levi. _

_Levi..._

_That's right. She might never get to see him again. This thought made her sad, but she tried her hardest not to let it affect her. She had waited eight years to be adopted and she wouldn't let that fact influence her. _

_Claire sighed before giving her friends large, long hugs._

_"I'm gonna miss you" she said as she squeezed Naomi. _

_"Me too. Except, with you" she replied awkwardly before pulling back and wiping her black hair away from her eyes. _

_"Claire, they're here!" Sophia exclaimed as she walked through the bedroom door. Claire nodded before picking up her small bag, which contained all of her belongings, and walking down the stairs._

_When she reached the bottom, she was greeted by a young couple, no older than mid-thirties. She could tell that they were James and Elizabeth Durant, the couple who adopted her, by their clothes. Fancy was the first word that came to mind. The resemblance held between the three of them was impeccable. The woman had light brown hair, similar to hers, and gorgeous blue eyes. The man had slightly darker brown curly hair and brown eyes. It was no wonder they had chosen her. _

_"Oh, darling, you look beautiful!" the woman exclaimed, running to her and kneeling to her height._

_"T-thank you" she replied sheepishly, bowing slightly, "You look beautiful as well, ma'am" she replied, looking at her attractive dress. It was down to the floor and contained a light pink tint. Her torso was covered by a layer of fancy lace and the bottom of the dress appeared to be made from silk and had embellishments that made neat designs. Her pierced ears had small diamond studs and around her neck was a simple, yet graceful, pink pendent. _

_"Please, call me 'Ma-ma'?" she asked, giving her a warm smile. Claire nodded and couldn't help but smile. _

_"Okay, Ma-ma!" _

_"It's nice to finally meet you, Claire" the man began, stepping closer. He was wearing a simple black tux with a red button up underneath. _

_"It's nice to meet you, too" she said, smiling and walking over and giving him a hug. He seemed slightly surprised, but quickly shook it off and returned the embrace. _

_"We've gotten you something" he said after a moment, before picking up a bag that had been sitting in the corner of the room. He handed it to her in which she timidly took it, thanking him before opening it. Inside was a stuffed bear with a red ribbon. She smiled widely at it. _

_"Thank you so much, I really like it!" she exclaimed, hugging it close to her. _

_"Have you said good bye to your friends? We must leave soon" Elizabeth asked, walking closer to them. _

_"Yes, I have" she replied. _

_"Well, if that's all, I must say we will bid you adieu" James said aloud to the children and staff that had crowded in the small main room to see Claire's new parents, "Thank you, Mrs. Porter, for everything"_

_"No, sir, it was my pleasure" she replied, curtsying to the superior._

_He nodded before ushering his wife and new daughter out of the building. They led her to a carriage and helped her inside. James handed her bag to a man in a tux whom in return took it to the back and strapped it on with other luggage that was there. James and Elizabeth then entered the carriage and sat facing each other, with Elizabeth sitting next to Claire who was holding her new friend. It wasn't until the carriage took off on it's way back to Sina that the couple began speaking._

_"Oh yes, I forgot to mention, Claire, being adopted is a very big change, where we are going is nothing like where you were" Elizabeth started, looking over at the small girl, "But, sometimes change could be a good thing. My point is, if you'd like, and you're able to deny it, but you may change your name"_

_"I'm sorry, I'd rather not. My name was given to me by someone very special, and I'd like to keep it, if I may" Claire responded, looking down at the bear and playing with the bow._

_"Of course you can" James replied, "If you don't mind me asking, who gave you your name?" _

_"His name is Levi, he is my best friend, he gave it to me when I was first taken to the orphanage. I wouldn't speak to anyone else, you see. When no one else could get me to talk, he took me out and there he told me I should have a name that would make me happy, he told me I should be named Claire for I would be bright"_

_"That is a very sweet story" Elizabeth replied, smiling gently, "Where is he now?"_

_"He's at his home, I'm sure. Probably making breakfast for his friends"_

_"He lives on his own?"_

_"Well, he has his friends, Isabel and Farlan, their names are, but if you mean without an adult, then yes, he does live on his own"_

_"Oh, that's sad to hear"_

_"It's not too sad, Levi has always been mature for his age, so it's almost as if he runs the house like a parent for the others. It's funny, with the scowl that's always spread across his face, you'd think he was older than he is" she replied, giggling lightly._

_Elizabeth laughed lightly along with her, "I'd love to meet him sometime"_

_"Really?!" Claire asked, excitement filling inside of her. Would she really get to see him again?_

_"Why, yes. You should invite him over for tea this Saturday"_

_Claire was filled with too much enthusiasm to respond. Today was Tuesday, that meant she'd get to see him in just four short days. Instead of speaking, she leaned over and hugged this new woman in her life who had made her happier than she had ever been in her life within the first twenty minutes of being together. "Thank you so much, Ma-ma" she cried, tears brimming in her eyes. _

_"Your welcome, darling" she replied, returning the hug._

_The ride to Sina took slightly over an hour, which was filled in by mainly small talk as the couple began to learn about their daughter and vice-versa. When the carriage stopped, Claire pulled back the curtain slightly to see a rather large home. It looked amazing from the outside and she couldn't wait to see the interior._

_James helped them both out of the carriage before leading them inside. _

_"I have some things I need to take care of for the business" he said, watching as Claire looked with curiosity and awe at the structure, "Do you want to show her around?" he directed towards Elizabeth. She nodded before taking Claire's hand and asking her to follow her._

_Elizabeth showed her around the large house, the kitchen where the chef would cook her whatever she wanted; the dining room where they would eat dinner and lunch; the breakfast room where they would eat breakfast; the hall that lead to the servants quarters where she was not to go unless accompanied by either of her parents; her fathers office where she would find him almost always; the garden where she could play; the bath that had been at least twice as large as her old bedroom; then lastly, her new bedroom. _

_Her bedroom had high ceilings and marble looking walls. It was enormous in size, probably able to fit all of the orphanage in. The floor was covered in silky wool and felt especially soft against her bare feet. There was a large bed across from the door with a window that went to the ceiling and spread across the majority of the wall, it showed the best side of the garden with the blooming flowers facing her room. A large wardrobe was on one side of the room and on the opposite was a sitting area and toy chest. _

_Her mother showed her inside the wardrobe which held many gowns, some fancier than the others, and shoes at the bottom. The toy chest was filled with dolls and in a box near the sitting area was an official tea set. _

_"I know it's all very knew to you, Claire, but your father and I would like you to wear the dresses in the closet. I'm sure you've been told, but at the moment, your father's business is at it's height which means our standards are being held very high. And one more thing. I would like you to avoid the topic of adoption with whomever you meet. We have adopted you, yes, that will never change, but as soon as we signed those papers, you became our daughter, which means you are no longer an orphan. Back on topic, what I mean is, please avoid the subject of your adoption, okay?"_

_Claire nodded, and smiled lightly "Okay" _

_Elizabeth left not long after due to business, allowing Claire to wander a bit. After playing in the garden for a little she walked to her fathers office. Leaning out from behind the door, she called to him, "Papa?"_

_"What is it, dear?" he asked, setting down the papers he had been looking at and up at the timid girl who hid behind the door. _

_"May I borrow a paper and pen to send a letter to my friend?" she asked quietly, coming out more from the doors protection._

_"Of course, you'll also need an envelope and stamp" he replied, standing up and walking over to a shelf and grabbing the materials. He handed them to her before ruffling her hair lightly._

_"Thank you!" she called before leaving the office to go to her own bedroom. Once there, she laid the materials down on the small table in the sitting area and got to work. _

_"Dear Levi, _

_I'm doing well. My new parents are amazing, I can't wait for you to meet them! Oh! Speaking of, I would like to invite you to come to a tea this Saturday at ten o' clock. Please come, I really want you to meet them. They're exceedingly nice. At first mention of you, they agreed to this meeting! My new bedroom is astonishing! It's at least four times taller than me and could hold a hundred men! The house is as faultless as a dove, not a spec out of place. I believe you'll like it a lot. I can't wait to see you again, but until then, I'll have to wait. I anticipate your company._

_With lots of love, Claire Durant"_

_Claire smiled at the thought of Levi seeing her room. There was no doubt in her mind that he'd be impressed. She folded the note neatly before putting it into the envelope and putting his address on the front. She hoped it make it to him in time. She then placed the stamp on the corner and left her room to find a servant. She came across one as she was walking through the front hall. The girl looked to be in her mid-twenties, her golden blonde hair tied up into a pony tail. She had been carrying a basket that appeared to be holding sheets and linen. _

_"Excuse me, miss" Claire called, jogging up to her. _

_"Yes, ma'am?" she asked, turning to face her with a small, gentle smile across her lips. _

_"I'd like to mail this letter, but I don't know how" she replied, holding up the ivory colored envelope._

_She nodded, "I can take it to the office for you ma'am" _

_"Really? Oh, that would be wonderful" Claire exclaimed, handing the note to the girl, "Thank you very much"_

_"No, thank you ma'am" she replied, putting the note in a pocket in her apron, "You must be Claire, I've heard much about you. It seems you were a miracle to the masters"_

_Claire smiled and blushed lightly. The servants words had made her feel warm, cheering her up on the inside. _

_"My name is Calamity, ma'am, but you can call me whatever you'd like" Calamity told her. _

_"I like that name. When I was younger, I had a friend named Calamity. She left not long after I met her, though"_

_"Oh, but sometimes it's the friendships that last the shortest that make the greatest impact" Calamity said with a cheerful smile, "If you don't mind, ma'am, I'll go put these linens away then mail your letter?" _

_"Okay, thank you, again" Claire replied before leaving the girl to go back to her room and play with her many dolls._

**A/N**

**Here comes the nerve-racking part...How'd I do? I know I ask this every time, but each chapter is different and I like to know. Anyway, don't forget to comment, vote, and add this story. You guys are the best!**

**QOTD:**

**If you could spend an entire day with any one of the AOT/SNK characters, with out having to worry about flesh eating Titans, then who would you pick? Where would you go?**

**My Answer?**

**See the thing is, I know I want to say Levi, just because he's amazing, But I'm pretty sure it would be an awful first meeting and I would act like an idiot. So I'll probably go with Armin. We'd probably go to a museum and the beach then have a picnic at the park. Oh yeah. That's the good stuff.**

**Your answer? Leave it in the comments!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Wow. This one is nearly 1,000 words longer than my usual story. That's pretty good, don't ya think? I really liked writing this one. The characters become more vivid and it excites me in a way. XD**

Claire awoke early the next morning. She yawned as she stretched out her tired limbs. It was earlier than she'd usually wake, but today would be much more interesting than most. Last night, Erwin had informed her of an expedition the four higher ups were going on. She had planned to ride along with them. Claire got dressed quickly, picking out a long, flowy dress that was pink tinted. It was simple and would be easiest to ride a horse in. She slid on her boots and laced them up around her thin ankles. Finally she clasped her locket around her neck and walked out of the bedroom.

She walked down to the mess hall, remembering the way from last night when Hanji had taken her. As she entered, she spotted Levi sitting alone at the same table as the night before. She sat down across from him, smiling a cheerfully at the stoic man as he read through his papers.

"Good morning, Levi" she greeted.

"Morning" he responded, looking through the papers he had in one hand and taking a drink from the cup of black tea in his other.

"Multitasking this early in the morning is not very good" she teased, pulling his papers down to the table. He looked at her with bored eyes, although, behind those were curious eyes, wishing to know what the person in front of them intended to do next.

"I'm sorry for last night, I understand now that you'd like to keep your past a secret to the others" she apologized, grabbing his hand.

"Brat, you don't need to apologize, you did nothing wrong. I hadn't told you not to, so there's no way you could have known" Levi said, pulling his hand away and setting down his cup as well.

"Well, you two love birds sure are up early" Hanji exclaimed when she walked into the room and sat down at the table.

"Hanji, shut your mouth before I do it for you" Levi rebuked, picking his papers back up.

Erwin and Mike soon joined them, bringing a basket of loaves for everyone.

Claire, Hanji, Mike, and Erwin all picked up their own loaf and began eating. Claire stared at Levi for a few moments, waiting for him to eat as well, but he didn't and this caused Claire to worry.

"Levi, don't tell me you're not eating again. You know I worry when you skip meals. It's not healthy" Claire chided before picking up a loaf and throwing it at him. It hit his head once before falling into his lap, causing the others to try their hardest to keep from laughing at the action. Levi picked up the loaf and set it on the table before going back to his papers. Claire grumbled to herself before picking up another and throwing it at him again. This time, however, Levi expected it and caught it in his hand.

"We're already in a food shortage, please don't continue to waste perfectly good food" Levi stated indifferently, setting down the bread and going back to his papers.

"Please, Levi, ten entire years have deceased since I last encountered you, would you kindly store the paper work and pay attention to me, if only for the present"

Levi sighed, he knew she was right, but he also knew what he had told her the day before about not being able to get close again. Giving in, he set the paper work down on the table and turned his attention to the petite girl. "Well?" he asked, waving his hand in a continuing motion.

"Eat a loaf, Levi" she said, picking up one she had thrown at him and handing to him, a bright, cheerful smile plastered across her face at the knowledge that she had come out triumphant in this battle.

Levi grabbed the loaf from her hand a took a smile bite of it before grabbing for his tea.

"Levi, you don't still believe the tale I told you when we were younger?" Claire asked, slightly worried as she watched him drink the tea.

Levi gave her a questioning glance as he sipped his drink.

"I was wrong, tea doesn't make you taller, it makes you shorter" she 'whispered' to him, one hand at the side of her face as she leaned closer.

Those at the table couldn't help but break out in laughter. Hanji had spit out everything that had been in her mouth and Erwin seemed to be choking on bread. Other tables had looked at them with bewildered glances, while others looked with slight disapproval.

Levi stood, "You said tea makes you taller! Why on earth would you lie about something like that?!" Claire could tell he was angry. This caused her to cower in his presence.

"My mother told me not long ago when I mentioned you. 'It's no wonder he's so short' she said, 'all he drinks is black tea'. It was not until after I asked her what she meant that she told me tea has caffeine in it and caffeine stuns growth" Claire explained.

Levi's face went from angry to shocked. How had he not thought of that?

"Levi? Are you all right?"

"It's okay, Claire, he's just broken for the moment, he'll come back soon" Erwin reassured apparently finished with the gagging.

"Does this happen often?"

"Around Hanji? All the time. In general, not as much" Mike chimed in.

~~~~~l~~~~~

_Sixteen years prior...year 829...Thirteen year old Claire_

_Claire awoke that morning with much excitement welling inside of her. She quickly got dressed in an ivory dress that went to the floor. The back was gone other than the strings that wrapped around in a corset form making it fit snugly to her few curves. The sleeves puffed slightly and lace was used to embellish the gown. Penny helped her with fixing her hair in a neat, yet elegant style and green clovers where placed in her hair as decoration. She stepped into her pearly sandals before striding to the breakfast room._

_"Good morning, Claire" her father greeted her, "You look lovely today"_

_"Thank you, Papa" she replied, taking a seat across from her mother and beside her father. A tray was soon brought in containing an exemplary meal. Claire had become quite accustomed to life in the great city over the few days she had lived here. Now, sure, she had a mess up every once in a while, but for the most part she did well._

_"Did your friend ever respond to your note?" Elizabeth asked her daughter._

_"Yes, he did" she began, "He said he would try his best to be here. Oh! You'll simply love him!" she cried, the excitement beginning to flood out of her._

_"How old did you say he was again?" her father asked._

_"I don't know. He's never told me, you see. Although, I believe he's only two or three years older then me. Making him fifteen or sixteen" she replied to which he nodded._

_The couple had spoken long and hard last night about the boy. Claire had gone unaware of the conversation, and they intended to keep it that way. They had spoken of the dangers that could arise, and the fact they didn't know where he was from nor what background. To put it blunt, they were slightly fearful of the boy, and what happened today would decide whether or not he would be aloud to communicate with their daughter again._

_After the meal, Claire was escorted by Elizabeth around the house. First to the kitchen to decide on snacks and drinks, in which she selected cucumber sandwiches, cinnamon biscuits, and cranberry scones, along with wild cherry and black tea. She was then taken to a china room where she was to choose a tea set. She decided upon a white cup with delicate looking blue flowers that surrounded it. After that, she was taken to the garden where she was shown several table linens to pick from, in which she picked a pale blue one._

_"Darling, have you chosen whether to have it inside or outside yet?" her mother asked her as she sat on the white bench in the garden, staring out at the flowers whom were in full bloom._

_"It's such a beautiful day, Ma-ma, I think it'd be nice to have it outside in the garden, maybe under the gazebo?" she replied, glancing up at the sky then down to the flowers._

_Elizabeth nodded and told one of the servants who then left to fix the table with dishes and settings._

_"Ma-ma, I'm so excited!" Claire declared, turning to face the elder. Her lips beamed with radiance and her joy was obvious on her face._

_"I'm glad" she replied, "When did you see him last?"_

_"The night before you and Papa came for me" she replied, turning back around, kneeling and feeling the soft petal of a lily that had been planted in the ground. Claire blushed lightly as she remembered the events of that night and how he had hugged her affectionately for the first time in a long time._

_"Ma'am, it's five til" a servant named Gabe, told them._

_"Thank you, as you were" Elizabeth replied, "Come, Claire, let's go to the garden now"_

_Claire nodded before following close behind her like a lost duckling. The two took their seats at the round table once they reached the arbor, Elizabeth sitting next to Claire. Soon, James joined them and sat next to his wife, leaving an open seat next to Claire for the boy when he got here. They chatted among themselves, however, Claire couldn't help but notice that Levi was late. It was nearly ten thirty when a servant announced his arrival. Claire felt butterflies jumping around in her stomach as the servant left to get the boy. Moments later, Levi came through the door, he was wearing his best attire and in his hands he held a single rose. The servant escorted him to the gazebo before announcing him._

_"Levi has arrived" he called before retreating back into the house._

_"Good afternoon" Levi directed to the adults, bowing slightly to show respect, "I'm am truly sorry for being late, the Garrison gave me trouble when trying to enter the city"_

_"No, I am sorry for not calling ahead to make sure they would let you through properly" James replied as the three of them stood, and Claire ran to Levi, embracing him in a hug._

_James and Elizabeth watched closely at his actions as he laid his hands gently around her for only a moment then releasing her and handing her the rose._

_She smiled, "Why thank you, kind sir" she said in a fake noble accent._

_"Your welcome, fair maiden" he replied, taking her hand and placing a gentle kiss atop her knuckles._

_The blush that spread across her cheeks was very noticeable by her parents who took their seats once again. It was then that Claire noticed the small bruise that was beginning to form on his face. She reached up and ran her fingers across it gently, retreating quickly when he winced slightly. She gave him a worried look to which he replied with "Every thing is fine". Of course all of this was noticeable to the couple who sat observing the words and movements of them both._

_Claire and Levi soon took their seats and the conversations began as they ate and drank._

_"Levi, may I ask who your parents are?" James asked after a few minutes of small talk._

_Levi nodded, "Kuchel is my mother and I have never met my father" he replied before taking a sip of the black tea in his cup. James and Elizabeth noticed his unusual way of holding his cup. The way he picked it up from the brim and held it to his mouth to take a sip._

_"Where are you from?"_

_This made Levi flinch slightly. He knew this was a test. His performance here would affect whether or not he'd get to see Claire again, but they had just asked the one question that could shake the whole decision._

_"I'm from the underground, sir" he replied through gritted teeth, only noticeable to Claire whom had known him for years. Claire gave him a weird glance, in all her years she had never understood the severity of living underground._

_At Levi's words, James began to choke on the tea he had been drinking._

_"Are you okay, Papa?" Claire asked, standing up from her seat._

_Eventually the coughing died down, "I'm fine, dear" he responded, "I was merely startled"_

_Levi grimaced. He knew this was the end. There was no way they'd let him see her again._

_"What is it like down there?" James asked, the curiosity in his voice surprising Levi._

_"I-it's dark, for one thing" he began, looking down at his plate, "It's dusty and also dangerous. I wouldn't suggest it to anyone"_

_"The underground has peaked my curiosity as of recently. It could be an asset to have someone from there in my list of contacts" James muttered mainly to himself. Levi lightened up slightly at the sound of this. James's interest in the dark cavern he had called home could be the exact thing to keep him close to Claire._

_"I'd be happy to discuss the city with you" Levi offered, causing Claire to laugh._

_"When have you ever been happy?" she teased, talking about the scowl that was usually placed on his face. He must have been trying to impress her parents, for his scowl had turned into a look of indifference. He was trying._

_"Claire, don't be rude" Elizabeth scolded her daughter, "He's come all this way to see you, you should be happy"_

_"Yes, Ma-ma" she replied, sinking down in her seat. Levi's lips turned ever so slightly upward at the conversation._

_"You should listen to her, Claire" Levi started, teasing her this time, "I might get upset, then who would keep you company?" his hand bringing his cup up to his lips again._

_Claire was slightly astounded at his use of her name instead of the usual 'brat' or 'kid', but replied quickly, "Oh, don't worry, your ego won't deflate much with a simple comment as that"_

_James and Elizabeth smiled at each other. Sure, they didn't know everything about the mysterious boy, but they could see the bonding friendship they shared, and that was enough. The four continued to talk, mainly James asking Levi questions, until it was half past three._

_"We'll be going inside now, children, have fun and stay out of trouble" Elizabeth told them as they went inside._

_Claire showed Levi around the house before concluding in her bedroom. Levi whistled as they entered. He'd admit, it was a nice room. The two chatted for a long while about how it will be easier for Levi to get to her now because the one of the exits from the underground was right by the entrance to Stohess, much closer than having to walk to Shinganshina._

_"Are you going to tell me where you got that bruise?" Claire asked as they sat as the sitting area, drinking tea._

_"Well, I hadn't planned on it particularly. Let's just say I got in a fight" he replied, his hand unconsciously moving up to feel the spot on his cheek._

_"Levi, you're too reckless. One day you'll end up getting your self killed"_

_"Please, you should have seen the other guy" he replied, letting out a small scoff._

_"Who was it?"_

_"Just another fat merchant pig. They keep raising the prices down there. I don't know if they're trying to kill everyone off or simply steal everything away from them so they never reach the top"_

_Claire nodded, shaking her hand slightly as if to say next, meaning a new topic._

_"I heard a rumor from one of the maids, Levi" Claire told him, uncalled for fascination seeping into her words as she gave him a sly smile._

_"Oh? And what was that?" Levi asked, raising an eyebrow at her sneakiness_

_"They said that tea will make you grow taller" Claire replied with a joyous smile._

_"Tch. Why would I want to know that?" he asked, scoffing at her hypothesis._

_"I know you don't like your height. Most boys are at least five foot-eight by the time the graduate, but you're only five foot-two"_

_"I haven't graduated yet"_

_"I know, but if you drink lots of tea now, maybe you'll reach six feet high by then" Claire replied, imagining what Levi would look like at the height._

_"As long as you stay shorter than me, I don't need to grow taller" he commented._

_Claire giggled, "But what if I do grow taller, then what?"_

_"Then I guess you'll have to be the one to give me piggy back rides all the time"_

_Claire burst out laughing at the thought of carrying the stoic boy around on her back. "Okay, deal" she replied after the snickers had died down, "If I grow taller than you, I'll carry you on my back, but if you stay taller than me, then you'll carry me on your back"_

_Levi held out his hand to make the deal official to which Claire hastily shook it, smiling all the way._

**A/N**

**This one was fun to write. It also took the most research. Anyway, what do you think? How did I do? Let me know in the comments, and don't forget to vote for the story and add it to your library for upcoming chapters.**

**QOTD:**

**Who do you ship?**

**My Answer?**

**Hmm. I'm not sure. I like lots of different couples, that and there are so many. I know I like ErenXMikasa, ArminXAnnie, and ConnieXSasha. However I think my favorite is LeviXHanji.**

**Your answer? Leave it in the comments!**


	7. Chapter 7

After lunch the five set out on horses, riding towards Shinganshina. They had been on the opposite side of Wall Maria so the trip was expected to take a while. Erwin rode in front with Hanji and Mike in the middle and Levi and Claire in the back. It was a simple mission to pick up some reports the Garrison had for them.

"You're not still mad at me, are you?" Claire asked Levi, raising her voice to be heard through the wind, the sound of their gear, and the trotting of horses.

"No" he replied plainly.

"You sound as if you are" she stated, worried about his tone.

"I'm not mad at you. It's more myself. I knew to some extent that there was caffeine in tea, but I didn't think to look into it and assume the caffeine might stun growth"

"I'm sorry, if I hadn't told you that, you could have grown taller"

"It doesn't matter. I told you, as long as I'm still taller than you, it won't matter"

Claire smiled. Even though it was only his height they were talking about, it was a sweet comment to say he didn't care if he never grew again as long as he still had the height between them bonding them together.

After a while longer of riding, Erwin had them stop to take a break and give the horses water.

"Levi?" Claire called, coming close to him.

"What is it?"

"I-uh- I have to use the bathroom" she whispered in his ear.

"No one is watching, go on. Be careful" he replied dully.

She smiled. She was afraid he would've told her to hold it. Claire began to walk farther in to the forest, excitement welling up inside her. She had always wanted to try this, but the time never came.

Levi watched in which direction she went in case she got lost and he would have to go find her. Several minutes passed and Levi began to worry. Did a bear get her? Did she dig a whole too deep and fall in? Was she hurt, or just constipated?

"Erwin, I'm going to go get Claire, I'll be back momentarily" Levi told the elder.

"Take Hanji with you, send her back to report what happened"

Levi nodded and the two of them walked into the forest in the direction Claire had gone.

"Claire!" Hanji called after walking for a short time. It wasn't until Levi saw Claire's necklace, laying on the ground that he slapped a hand over her mouth to silence her.

"Thugs. Stay quiet" Levi ordered, picking up the locket, that looked like it had been ripped off of her fragile neck, and looking around for any other evidence. A small scrap of pink silk caught his attention when he walked closer. He carefully placed the necklace in his pocket before continuing.

"Hanji, go report the situation to Erwin, I'm going after them and will be back soon. If I'm not back in five minutes, come after me" Levi ordered before enabling his 3DM gear and flying off into the trees. Hanji called after him once before retreating. He knew he'd be able to see better from there and had a better chance of spotting them. He finally came upon a small, makeshift camp. Levi took count of the enemy before scratching a plan. There were at least seven of them. He was sure Claire was either in one of the tents or in the wagon, probably the later. He would have to be quick and precise if he wanted to get her away without injury.

Claire thrashed around on her back inside the sealed wagon. Her hands were tied and she'd been gagged and blindfolded, but that didn't exhaust her fiery spirit.

"Stop moving" one of the men ordered before kicking her hard in the stomach. Tears brimmed in her eyes at the thought of never being free again. At the thought of loosing the life she loved. At the thought of Levi when she was gone.

Sudden loud noises from outside caused the two to freeze. "What the hell?" the man wondered before leaving the girl in the wagon alone. More thrashing and yelling came from outside as Claire stayed silent as possible. She didn't know what was out there, but by the sound of it, it was more violent and lethal than a Titan. It didn't take long for most of the noises to stop and the only thing she was able to hear were the loud pants coming from one individual. She tried to picture them as a gentle woman that had miraculously come to her rescue, but all she could picture was a giant man who wanted nothing but to kill. The thought scared her. Would she die today?

Claire heard foot steps before a large slice slit through the side of the wagon, opening it up. Her heart beat a million miles a second before she heard the cold, harsh voice that ended all fear, for her at least.

"Claire!" It was Levi. He had come for her! "Stupid Brat, I thought I told you to be careful" Levi scolded, quickly running to her before taking off the blindfold and gag and unfastening her hands from the ropes. She sobbed quietly as Levi picked her up bridal style and walked her back to the group. They ran into the other three on their walk back. Apparently, it had been over five minutes and they thought the two had died.

They soon continued their journey, however, Claire sat on Levi's horse with him. Her arms clutched around his stomach and her ear pressed against his back, listening to the calming sound of his heart beat.

_Twenty-one years prior...Year 824...Six year old Claire._

_The little girl sat idly on the steps out front of the beat-up orphanage. She was waiting. Waiting for her mother to come back and get her. Inside, Emily sat staring out the window at her younger sister. Calamity was six and Emily had just turned twelve. It hadn't even been a week since their mother abandoned them at the orphanage, yet it felt like a lifetime. Emily had expected it. She knew what would happen eventually, however, Calamity still thought their mother had loved her and when she said, 'it was only for a little while', that she had meant it. However, Calamity had gone into a time of grief after the first day and hadn't spoken a word since. _

_It wasn't until she noticed a young, suspicious looking boy approaching Calamity, that Emily felt alarmed and stood up and walked outside. _

_"You've been in this exact spot for the last five days. I'm surprised you don't have a sunburn. You should get up and do something. If you stay there forever, nothing is gonna change" he told her. His hands were placed carelessly in his pockets and his hair was the color of a raven, giving him the aura of unapproachable, yet he had been the one to approach the small girl. _

_"I'm waiting for my mommy" Calamity replied simply, shocking Emily for the fact that she had spoken._

_"Don't you understand where you are. This is an orphanage. Your 'mommy' isn't coming back" he replied harshly, emphasizing the word mommy._

_"I know" she said quietly after a moment. Tears began welling up in her eyes as she continued, "I knew since the first day" _

_The boy said nothing for a while, only stared before finally speaking up, "You" he directed towards Emily, "go tell the head that I'm taking her out for a little while" _

_Emily nodded slightly before running inside to tell them. Meanwhile, the boy helped the younger girl up and they began to walk around the town. _

_"My name's Levi, what's yours?" he asked after they had been walking in silence for a while. _

_"I don't like my name" she replied._

_"Why not?"_

_"Because my mother gave it to me out of spite"_

_"May I know what it is?" he asked, looking over at her._

_"Calamity, meaning misfortune" she replied, her head down as she stared at the dirt. _

_"I don't think you're misfortune" Levi told her, trying to cheer her up, "You'd be more suited with a name like Amy or Claire"_

_"You think so?" she asked, smiling at him._

_"Yeah, how about this, you pick your name. You don't have to rely on that woman anymore"_

_"I like Claire" she replied bashfully._

_"Claire it is then. You are reborn into this body with new spirit and new life" he tells her before reaching in his pocket, "Here, this will be my baby shower gift to you. It was my friend's before she died" he said, handing the small locket to her. She opened it up and stared at the message inside. "Je te aime pour toujours" it said in a foreign language._

_"What does it say?"_

_"I don't know" he replied, "It's in French. The only word I can make out it te which I think means you. I guess I'll make it your responsibility to find out what it says and report back to me, okay?" _

_Claire nodded. She was happy. She had a new name and a new mission to keep her busy._

That evening the group stopped along the outside of wall Rose to camp for the night. The tents were set up so that the men stayed in one and the women in another. They all sat on the ground around a fire, eating loaves and chatting merrily. They sat in a circle so that Erwin sat by Levi whom sat by Claire who sat next to Hanji whom had been sitting next to Mike. Claire was still quiet, speaking only a little every once in a while.

"Come on, Brat, you've gone back to the girl who was always sad. What does your name mean if you don't make it mean something?" Levi asked her, not in a whisper, but not loud enough to be announcing it to everyone.

"You know, when I sat there, afraid I was going to die, all I could think about was you. The only thought that went through my head was, how will Levi react? Will he search for me? Will he give up? Will he even care? It wasn't until I heard your stupid voice calling me by a weak name that I felt safe and relieved. I felt so happy to know you had cared enough to come for me" she said, letting her thoughts out.

"Why wouldn't I come for you?"

"I don't know. My question was why would you? I'm not an asset to you. I'm not important. I'm just an annoying Brat who can't fight her own battles, who needs you to save me every time"

Levi sighed, "Come with me" he ordered, standing up and extending his hand to help her up. She took it and followed him towards a small lake they had passed. Claire shivered slightly as the cold wind tickled her skin and make goosebumps appear. Levi took off his green survey corps cloak and wrapped it around her shoulders, hiding her some from the harsh chill.

"Thank you" she replied softly. Levi sat down in front of the water but far enough back so that it wouldn't touch him and Claire joined him, leaning close to share body heat.

"Levi, all these years I waited for you to come back so that I could see you again. One thing I learned from that is that you are more stubborn than before. Levi, you are cold, and mean, and hard to get along with at times, but I do love you, and I want to be with you. Forever" Claire confessed, not shifting her gaze from the water in front of her that sparkled in the moon light.

Levi sighed, "I know" were his only words as he kept his vision fixed on the same things.

"I want to be selfish, Levi. I want to take you away from the Scouts, I want to steal you away and lock you up close to me so that I never have to leave you again, but I know I can't" she continued, tears brimming in her eyes, "You told me the only reason you weren't in prison right now was because they made a deal with you. And I understand that you can't leave them abruptly, but I want you to. I don't like you leaving the walls because every time you do, you chance death. These last ten years, I had been nearly sure you had died. That I would never see you again. I cried for days after I received the MIA card, Levi. I knew there's no possibility to survive outside the walls for long, yet you did. How? How did you? Why can't I be strong like that?" by now she was crying, tears streaming down her face and sparkling in the moon light as small sobs escaped her lips.

"Claire" Levi began, pulling her chin to look at him and drying her tears, "The price of a solider is a high one. You constantly have to be on the look out for your life and for the lives of the people you love. It's a job that once you start it, there is no end. You fight until the battle is won or you've given your life trying. That is why I'm telling you now. Give up on me. I don't want to see you hurt because you've tried to follow me. Already today you've been hurt and it wasn't even by the hands of a Titan. It was our own kind, Kid. I know it's hard to believe, but it's not the Titan's I'm worried about. I know there are people out there that would do anything to see me die, but not only me, everyone I've ever come in contact with as well. They'd go to death to see me loose, even if it meant they didn't get to do their victory dance. I'm not about to let you get hurt when I know I can stop it"

Claire turned her head. She knew he was right. It wouldn't be the first time someone tried to use her to get to him. She was his week spot. And it haunted her everyday.

"There's something I've been meaning to tell you, and I think you need to know" Claire explained, not turning back.

"What is it?"

"You ha-"

"There you guys are! We were looking for you" Hanji called, interrupting Claire's words and walking closer, "You guys just up and disappeared"

Levi sighed before standing and extending his hand to Claire. She accepted it and stood next to him before they all walked back to camp.

**A/N**

**Is it sad to think I only have about two more chapters? It truly is a short story. :( **

**Any who, how'd I do? (Hehe XD that rhymed) Let me know in the comments and don't forget to vote for the chapter. Thank you, guys, so much!**

**QOTD:**

**Why do you enjoy the Attack on Titan/Shingeki no Kyojin series?**

**My Answer?**

**I like the reality aspect of it. Not that Titans sound real to me, but that the characters aren't necessarily 'protected' by the program. It's a real thing. They won't live forever, and they know that. Its different from most animes where friendship and love is all you need to survive. **

**You Answer? Reply in the comments!**


	8. Chapter 8

"Claire!" the voice sounded desperate as it got closer and closer. Suddenly she felt herself being shaken awake and when she opened her eyes, she saw Levi had been the one doing it.

"Claire! We have to go! Titans have breached Wall Maria! There are at least ten in the area. We have to hurry! Erwin is fighting them off, but I don't know how long he'll last. There are so many" Levi sounded petrified, causing Claire to wake up and obtain a better idea of what was going on. "Come on!" he yelled again.

Claire rubbed her eyes sleepily but stood to her feet as Levi pulled her up by her arm. Immediately after standing, she was dragged out by her hand into pouring rain.

"It's probably best if we try to climb the wall, but I don't know how we'll make it. You can't use the gear and Hanji is out of gas. I'm sure Erwin is getting close too"

"Hey, shhh" Claire shushed soothingly, pulling him to a stop and caressing his face with her hand, "We'll get through this. I promise"

"That's the thing, Kid. This is the one thing you can't promise me" He said, calming down slightly, but still panicked, "You can't promise me that nothing will happen because you don't know what the future holds"

"You're right, I can't predict the future. But I can tell you, that no matter what happens, I will always be with you" she replied before giving him a small kiss.

They stood for only another moment before Levi turned and began running once more.

"Let's go"

Together they ran through the pouring rain and in the direction of the wall. As soon as Claire had the chance to glance around her, she could see the hopelessness of the situation. It was just before dawn and they could barely see the sun starting to peek out, but in that little bit of sun light, she could see the Titans in full view. At that moment she wished nothing more than for it to be a dream so she could wake up and forget it all.

Two Titans began to approach them and at that exact second, she could see the rage in Levi's eyes.

"I will not loose another!" He cried at the top of his lungs before using his gear to lunge after them, leaving Claire behind on the ground. He quickly killed the first, causing it to fall over in a heap of evaporating flesh.

"Levi! Be careful!" Claire shouted as he began another spinning move which allowed him to get to the next Titan. Her heart was beating a million thumps a second as she watching him take down the other Titan. Now she understood why some had called him humanities strongest. He could do things some would try their entire life to achieve and still would not. As he landed to the ground, he grabbed her hand and they started running again.

"Levi!"

"What is it? Is something wrong?"

"No! In case we don't make it through this, I wanted to let you know, I found out what the locket said!"

He looked back at her through the fog at her as they ran, "What did it say?"

She didn't get to answer. A Titan grabbed Levi, lifting him up into the air.

"Levi!" she shouted as he let go of her hand before being grabbed by one as well. She didn't scream. She knew it wouldn't help any. It's smiling face taunted her as if saying farewell in a creepy manner.

"Claire!" Levi called desperately, struggling to free his arm from the grip of the monstrous being so he could save Claire, but it wouldn't give and he found himself trapped in the hands of a flesh eating giant.

"Levi!" Claire shouted as the monster carried her to it's mouth, "I love you forever!" she shouted as the Titan place her in it's mouth.

"No! Don't break your promise!" he shouted back to her as tears began to form in his eyes, realizing that when she said that, she quoted the necklace. She wanted to tall him before she died and this fact ruined him.

"I'm sorry" she replied

Levi could do nothing but watch in horror as the monsters teeth slammed shut and swallowed the girl whole. He no longer cared that he was in fact being placed in another beings mouth, all that mattered to him was cutting off the head of the Titan who smiled back at him.

The grip around his body loosened and he felt himself falling to the floor. Nothing registered in his mind as the once strong hand he had been held by fell limp to the ground. Levi quickly ran after the smiling being, tears streaming down his face as he hastily killed the monster, allowing it to fall backwards to the ground. He then used his blades to cut open its stomach, not allowing the steam that came from it to be an obstacle. Levi quickly jumped inside. The red oozy liquid that burnt his skin cooled by the second allowing him to search through the mound of dead human bodies.

"Claire!" he shouted desperately, pulling bloody body off of bloody body, and missing limbs from missing limbs. As he pulled the severed head of what appeared to be a child off of the pile, he found her. Levi quickly picked her up and pulled her out of the mess that was the decomposing Titan, laying her on the ground.

"Claire!" her shouted, pushing her seared hair away from her face and out of her closed eyes, "Claire!"

Levi leaned down, bringing her chest to his ear. He listened for anything. Any sign of life that would let him know she was still alive, but nothing came. Her limp, lifeless form lay peacefully in his lap.

"Levi, we need to get up the wall" a voice said from behind him. Levi turned to see Erwin. He was covered in Titan blood and looked exhausted. He must have been the one to kill the Titan that had been holding Levi.

"No! I can't leave her!" he shouted before laying her down on the ground and beginning to preform CPR, pressing his palms to her chest and applying quick pressure.

"Levi, stop! That won't help anything!" Erwin yelled as Levi lifted her chin, plugged her nose, and began to push oxygen into her lungs.

Levi knew he was right. He knew he had just lost his best friend. "I can't loose her" he cried, laying his head down on her chest as he clutched her hand tightly.

After a moment, Mike walked over, picked up the dead body and threw it over his shoulder.

"Come on, we don't have time for this" Mike stated, "Every second we're out here we risk getting caught by a Titan. Now stop this foolishness and come on"

Levi dropped his head before nodding slightly and following the others. They ran to Wall Rose in silence. When reaching the wall, Erwin helped Hanji and Mike carried Claire's body. The days that came later were also silent as a small funeral was held in honor of Claire Durant, and Levi went through the things she had left behind.

**A/N**

**Don't hate me, but this was my intention from the start. I know it's really sad, but it has good meaning, plus Levi need this in order to find something else out. Anyway, don't drop the story yet, there are still more chapters. :)**

**How'd I do? Let me know in the comments or simply by voting for the story.**

**QOTD:**

**If you could live in the AOT/SNK world, would you?**

**My Answer?**

**Probably not. I mean, yes, I'd get to see my favorite people on earth (well not this earth), but I'd also think I'd be one of those who'd chicken out at the stupidest of things.**

**Your Answer? Leave it in the comments!**


	9. Chapter 9

Levi traveled to Wall Sina to visit Claire's old home not long after her death. He had dressed in his most formal attire due to the high-class area. As the carriage reached her house, a man in a uniform opened the door for him. Levi walked to the door at the front of the massive house before knocking twice on the hard wood. A servant, he had recognized as one close to Claire, greeted him at the door. He took him to Mr. and Mrs. Durant in the office.

"Sir, Ma'am, Levi is here" he announced as they entered before allowing him to pass.

At the sound of Levi's name, the couple stood.

"Levi!" Elizabeth nearly shouted before running over to meet him and embracing him in a hug, "I heard about Claire. I'm so sorry"

"No, I am. It's my fault she's not here now" Levi replied, his face as straight as ever as he let go of the elder woman, "I came here to discuss a note I found among Claire's things that had been addressed to me"

"A note? Do you have it?" she asked, staring curiously at the man.

"I do" he replied before pulling a wrinkled, water blotted piece of paper out of his jacket pocket and handing it to her.

She examined it to see it had been dated to eight years prior. She hesitated a moment before reading it quietly to herself.

_"Dear Levi, _

_It's been so long since I last saw you. Almost two years now. Where have you been? I went down to visit you not long ago, but your house was empty and covered in an inch of dust. I found it unlikely that you had been there anytime recently. There's something I need to tell you. The night of my seventeenth birthday when you woke up in my bed, it happened. We did do it. I got pregnant and have had a child. I've named her Lilliane, or Lilly for short. I haven't ever asked for your last name, so I haven't the slightest idea what it is and until you've met her and are willing to give her your name, she'll go by Durant. I don't know if I'll tell her about you yet, or when I will if I decide to. I want her to grow up a normal life, one apart from feeling abandoned, because that is the exact opposite of what happened. I love you, Levi. I hope to see you again soon. _

_In anticipation of your valued response, Claire Durant"_

"Did she ever get the chance to tell you in person?" Elizabeth asked, handing the note back to him.

He took it from her and put it back into his pocket before responding, "That she loved me, yes. About our daughter, no. I believe she tried to tell me the night before she died, but we ended up getting interrupted and she never got to finish her sentence"

Elizabeth nodded before signaling a servant over and asking them to go get Lilly. She then ushered Levi and James take a seat by the coffee table while they waited. Not long after, a young girl was escorted in by the same servant as before. Levi immediately stood upon seeing her. She reminded him of Claire the way her long wavy brown hair fell upon her shoulders. She had inherited his eye color, but she wore them much more gracefully than he.

"You wished you see me?" she asked, her hands folding timidly in front of her as she saw Levi.

"Yes, dear, this is Lance Corporal Levi of the Scouting Regiment" James told her.

Levi walked closer to the girl, staring intently at her. As he reached in front of her, he kneeled before taking her hand and placing a gentler kiss on the knuckles, "It is a pleasure to meet you, Lilly. You look very much like your mother" he told her, admiring the same light brown hair and face shape of Claire. The thought of her brought tears to his eyes.

"I don't look like Mama, she had brown eyes, I only have grey eyes" the girl retorted.

"I think your eyes are very beautiful" he replied, giving her a small, barely noticeable smile.

"Did you know my Mama?" she asked, her voice showing the curiosity that retained inside her.

"Yes, I did. She and I were very good friends long before you were ever born" he answered.

"Lilly, this man is your father" Elizabeth informed the young girl.

Lilly smiled brightly, "Really? Oh! I've wanted to meet you for so long now" she cried, jumping into his arms, "Mama spoke about you often"

"She did?" Levi asked, slightly surprised, as she pulled away.

"Mhmm, she said you were strong and smart and always able to keep a cool head in a tough situation" Lilly explained, giggling lightly at her next words, "She also said you like to clean a lot"

"She's correct. I do like my place tidy, and find clean things to be better than dirty"

Soon after, Levi and Lilly left the elder couple and walked out to the garden. Elizabeth and James could see from the window as Lilly tried to climb a tree and how Levi lifted her higher so she could reach the bottom branch. It was calming to see them become acquainted with each other.

"How often do you think he'll visit?" Elizabeth asked her husband as they watched the two of them play and get along.

"Probably as often as he visited Claire when she was young" he replied, wrapping his arm around her shoulder and pulling her close into a side hug.

"Things are different then they were then. Then all he had to do was have enough money to go to the surface. This time he'll have to find time in his busy schedule to come visit"

"He'll make a way, my Dear. He always has" he replied, kissing her forehead.

Levi stayed until evening when the sun was beginning to set. He bid adieu to the Durant's and his new found daughter, promising to visit as soon as he could, before leaving them and heading to the Scouting barracks inside Wall Rose. He said nothing when he got there. Seeing his daughter had reminded him of Claire, causing him to fall into a state of depression. Inside his room, he reached into the pocket of his Scouting jacket, pulling out the broken locket that he had found the day Claire had gotten kidnapped. He had forgotten to give back to her that day. A part of himself wished he had, but another was glad he hadn't. If he had, it would've surely melted by the heat inside the Titan. Levi clutched the necklace in his hand, holding it tight to his chest as if this one movement, this one action could bring Claire back.

_"No matter what happens, I will always be with you" _

Her sweet words, her voice echoed through his ears,

_"I'll love you forever!"_

"Brat, you broke your promise" he whispered to no one.

Over the next week the entire legion noticed the major relapse Levi went through. It didn't surprise them either. Levi stayed to himself most of the time and spoke even less than before. He sat alone at meals or skipped them completely. His sleeping habits also altered. He went from six hours a night to only two or three and he began to distance himself from others. It was hard to watch him so hurt, even if he didn't show it directly.

"You should eat" Erwin stated, sitting down next to the short man as he sat holding his tea in his hands. He was staring down and his depression had become very noticeable, despite him trying his hardest to hide it.

"I'm not hungry" he replied coldly, bringing the cup up to his lips, letting it linger for a moment before setting it back down, having not taken a drink, and dropping his head once again.

"I know it's hard, Levi, but you have to get over this. You can't stay like this forever" he tried, glancing over at him.

Levi said nothing. He couldn't. He knew if he opened his mouth to speak, his words would falter, making a fool of himself. He couldn't show that kind of weakness around them. However, despite the pride he held, that weakness was beginning to show.

"I know she was close to you, she had formed a soft spot in all of us" Erwin began, "But, I know she wouldn't want you to despair after her death"

Levi quickly stood at those words. They were going too far. How would he know what she'd want? Levi silently walked out of the room before walking to his own. He sat down on his bed, knowing that what Erwin had said was true. He knew that the bright, bubbly girl he had known would scold him if she were here right now. She'd rebuke him for letting himself get to where he had. She'd tell him to stop this nonsense and get back to work.

It was all true...He knew it too.

Levi didn't sleep at all that night, but instead spent his time grieving over Claire's death. When morning came, he found himself downstairs in the mess hall sitting with his colleagues.

"You seem to be better, Levi" Hanji stated after they had been chatting for nearly half an hour.

Levi took a drink of his tea before responding, "I don't know what you mean by that"

"Levi?"

He turned to look at her. It was then she realized what was happening. He was making an attempt. An attempt to clear his mind through ignorance. She nodded lightly in acknowledgment before turning back to her food.

"Levi" Erwin called, seeing him sitting with people instead of his previous corner.

"What?" he asked, his voice sounding irritated as he turned to him.

"The new Scouts are here" he replied.

"New Scouts? Why wasn't I informed sooner?"

Erwin rubbed his temples. He knew he was trying to forget, but the reason he hadn't told him was because of his condition. "I guess it slipped my mind" he finally answered, making up the last minute excuse.

Levi scoffed before turning back to the table and taking another drink of the tea.

"I'd like you to observe them later on during the practice. You'll have to pick your team sooner or later" Erwin stated before sitting down next to them.

"Yeah, I know. Stop bugging me about it" he replied coldly.

"I suggest looking at those who were ranked highest first. There's second, sixth, eighth, and so on. There are less recruits this year as well. Probably still scared from the attack that took Maria"

"That'd make sense. I heard they had the newbies out clearing villages after the event" Levi replied.

Later that day, Levi did go to look at the scouts, finding four in particular to catch his attention more than the rest. The ceremony, held that evening was boring, and Levi found no interest in it. He sat idly in his chair on stage in between Hanji and some other higher-up he hadn't bothered to learn the name of.

"Those who have joined, we thank you. You are all very brave considering what's happened over these past weeks" Erwin started, "You will all become official members of the Scout Regiment. However, some cadets have been selected to join a team. The choice is up to you whether you take the offer or not. Petra Ral, Oluo Bozado, Eld Jinn and Gunther Schultz, you have been selected to join the Special Operations Squad. Your Captain, Levi will direct you if you choose this path"

The speeches went on and Erwin announced the cadets chosen for others squads as well. After the ceremony, Levi walked back to his room, not wanting to stay out here any longer.

"Captain Levi!" a voice called, causing him to cease. He turned around to see Petra Ral running up to meet him.

"What?" he asked, giving her a cold glare.

If she saw it, she ignored it, "I wanted to thank you for choosing me!" she said in a cheery voice, "It really means a lot, and I plan on joining with you. Together, I think we can take back Wall Maria"

"Look, Cadet Ral, I think it's great, all the determination you have. Really, that's one of the reasons I chose you. But don't keep your hopes up. Life isn't handed to you on a silver platter. Instead, your placed here on shifty sand, and if you don't watch your step, you sink into an abyss of nothingness" he replied harshly.

Petra nodded slowly. She could see that he had no intention of getting close to her and would most likely push her away at any attempts. "I understand, sir"

"Good, now go" he replied before walking into the building.

_"I'm sorry, but I can't loose anyone else"_

A/N

Well, that was the very last chapter. I might think of doing a short epilogue, let me know what you guys think. Make sure to comment, vote, and follow the story for any other updates that might come through. I'd also like to thank everyone who has read through completely. It means a lot! :)


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